Peltola and Sullivan Clash Over Conduct and Policy in Alaska Debate

Alaska's U.S. Senate race intensified on Oct. 15, 2026, as Democratic challenger Mary Peltola and Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan exchanged accusations during a televised debate in Anchorage over staff treatment, military compensation and political accountability. The confrontation highlighted competing arguments over Peltola's record and Sullivan's relationship with President Donald Trump ahead of the election.

According to Alaska Public Media, the candidates repeatedly interrupted each other during the event, which was hosted by Alaska Public Media, KTOO and Alaska's News Source. The dispute extended beyond policy disagreements to allegations about Peltola's conduct and competing claims about congressional votes.

Outside the studio, supporters of both candidates gathered with signs. Loren Baxter, who said he had worked in missile defense in Alaska, supported Sullivan because of his position on military issues and efforts to reverse executive orders issued during the Biden administration.

Sullivan repeatedly referenced a New York Times report describing former Peltola staffers' allegations that she had angry outbursts and used derogatory language about gay people and people with disabilities. Peltola disputed the accounts during the debate.

"I do not think that this election is about me on my worst day, and I found so many of these allegations concerning and outright fabrications or mass exaggerations of the truth," Peltola said.

The candidates also disputed Sullivan's criticism of Peltola's voting record on military compensation. Sullivan said she had voted against a pay increase for military personnel, while Peltola rejected that characterization and cited her sons' experiences after military service.

"I have two sons who were enlisted-4 and enlisted-5 when they got out," Peltola said. "They were both on food stamps. I was happy to … vote for that pay raise that our service members hadn't had in 10 years."

Sullivan pointed to Peltola's vote against one version of the National Defense Authorization Act, arguing that she opposed the legislation because she wanted more transgender surgeries for service members. Peltola said the bill would have restricted women's reproductive health care and noted that she supported two other versions of the legislation.

Another dispute centered on campaign advertising linking Sullivan's donations to allies of Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. Sullivan accused Peltola of misleading voters and cited his record on protecting survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

"I have spent my career defending survivors of domestic violence, of sexual assault, and in this case, I voted to release the Epstein files and protect the victims," Sullivan said. "She has been running this ad nonstop."

Peltola responded that she did not control advertisements produced by political action committees. Sullivan also faced questions about whether he had criticized Trump's remarks about women and people with disabilities as forcefully as he criticized Peltola's alleged language.

"I have denounced the president's language on these kinds of issues," Sullivan said.

When asked for an example, Sullivan cited his criticism of Trump's 2015 remarks about Fox News personality Megyn Kelly. After the debate, he also said he had challenged Trump's insults toward the late Sen. John McCain.

At the start of the event, Peltola answered several questions by referring to her notes, prompting Sullivan to ask moderator Lori Townsend whether the candidates had received the questions in advance. Townsend rejected the suggestion.

"Neither one of you got questions beforehand. Absolutely not," Townsend said.

The three media organizations hosting the debate had not shared the questions with either campaign before the event. Sullivan later told reporters that he accepted the explanation and said he was not blaming the organizers.

A separate opinion article published by the Anchorage Daily News on Oct. 20 offered a personal defense of Peltola from author Don Rearden, who said he had known her since their high school years in Bethel. Rearden argued that her upbringing in rural Alaska and experience with community losses had shaped her leadership and connection to residents.

Rearden also described the effects of suicide, accidents, alcohol-related deaths and missing and murdered people in the region where they grew up. He argued that Peltola understood the challenges facing rural communities, including anxiety over declining salmon harvests and the effects of climate change.

The opinion piece acknowledged disagreements over Peltola's language and behavior while arguing that she should be judged by the same standards applied to other political leaders. Rearden's defense contrasted with the allegations highlighted during the debate, underscoring how Peltola's character had become a central issue in the Senate contest.